Need tournament help! Help!

[Eduardo]

I'm done with round 1. We have one more round tomorrow and I need to know how to play best.  Here's the scoop:
 
We have two (1 left) 20 minutes sessions to play through 700 credits. After you have played your 700 credits your total score is in the books. It only took me about 10 minutes today to play though and I ended up at 650 (middle of the pack it seems), and a losing session. I wasn't playing perfect and holding 2 to the royal, etc. But not I'm not sure how best to play tomorrow.
 
I believe only 1 person hit a royal today, so the other top spots are very much in play.
 
The biggest surprise is that it's Jacks or Better! The only real payouts are a royal, straight flush and a little bit of help on a quad but not much.
 
Help!
 
(I'll let you know how the rest of my trip is going when i get back).
 

[wilcoxfun]

I would play as nearly perfect as I could play.  When I played in a tournament in October I got lucky and hit some great pays just by playing correctly.  I would go for royals if I had three and try for straight flushes if that option arrives but both of those are so far and between.
GOOD LUCK!

[shadowman]

How many spots to they pay? What are your goals? If you're looking to win then you will need a RF.
If you're looking to cash, then estimate what it will take tomorrow to get into that group. As you play you may need to modify your play.  You may be able to start out playing standard strategy but if you are not doing well, then you will need to take some chances.

[faygo]

I think it will help if we do the Eduardo chant. Ok. ready, all together now, Hoochie Momma, Hoochie Momma.....

[ginxxxx]

If it took you only ten minutes of your 20 minute session you might want to try to focus just a tiny bit on style rather than speed.What fun! Hope you win!Ginxxx

[Eduardo]

That 10 minutes was taking plenty of time to think on some hands.  20 minutes is simply a dreadfully long time to pluck away at 700 credits.  It was about as slow as I can bear.
 
I'll look again at the payout details.
 
I'm already a little ways behind the main paying pack, so I think I'm simply going to have to risk a little.  I don't think standard strategy is going to do it here unless I do hit something lucky, so maybe I just need to increase my odds at some lucky hands. I won't throw anything away with a guaranteed pay perhaps, but even holding 2 to a royal over a low pair might make good sense. I can definitely see a lot of people playing riskier tomorrow though, especially anyone who feels they are in the bottom 50%. So that may or may not bring the pack down a little... some of the higher scores will have to chase 1st place if a lot of people are going to catch them.
 
If anyone else has some tips I'll check back later tonight or in the morning, and I'll let you all know how things went when I get back home, of course!
 
First on my list is to check out the payouts and evaluate what kind of score I think I'll need to get the minumum I want to win. If I have a shot at a royal, I'll take it... but I won't plan on that.

[oej719]

Have about 4 drink before you play
Play with one hand only, put the other in your pocket.
You will play slower and your eyes will spot those special plays easier.

[New2vp]

I don't have any funny lines but I do have some special plays for you.  First off, if you think quads will help you in the money, you may wish to keep the low pairs instead of a 2-card royal since the low pairs will improve to quads about 1 time out of 360 and the 2-card royal will improve to a royal only 1 time in 16215; but if quads will not help much then I suppose going for the royal won't hurt much.
 
Other "special plays" (assuming that quads and straight flushes can help you get to the money, as well as a royal and realizing that many of these, but not all, are indeed 16214-1 plays):
 
4-card straight flush over a flush or straight;
3-card royal over a straight;
JT9 suited over 4-card flush;
543-T98 suited over 4-card straight or a low pair of 2s-Ts;
QJ9 suited over QJT9 straight or a low pair of 2s-Ts (if quads can help, you may want to keep a pair of 8s, 9s, or Ts instead of QJ9 suited);
QJ royal over QJT9 straight;
KJ,AJ royals over JT98 straight;
JT royal over A-low 3-card str flush and over 4-card straights AKJT or AQJT;
QT,KT royals over T987 straight and AXXT 4-card straights;
AT royal over A and AXXT straights;
6x2-Tx6 3-card straight flushes over high cards.
 
You might hold KQJ unsuited but other than that don't hold more than 1 unsuited high card giving priority to J then Q then either K or A.  Pick the one that doesn't have too many flush cards hurting it.  You don't gain that much by holding 2 high cards and you might back into quads, a royal, or a straight flush.
 
Maybe even keep suited 54, 65, 76, 87, 98, or T9 rather than drawing 5 new cards (borderline: if you have an extra flush card or you can make a 4-card inside straight with the cards, you might be better off drawing a new hand and hoping).
 
If you are playing full-pay Jacks or Better, these changes do not take even a full 1% off of the expected value of the game but give you a nearly 30% better chance at royals and nearly a 40% better chance at straight flushes.  With only 280 hands, you still won't hit any of them with ordinary luck, but with everyone chanting Hoochie Mama, who says your luck will be ordinary?!
 
Best of luck,
 
P.S.  Don't go for any Quick Quads; I don't think they pay as well in tournaments.

[shadowman]

I don't have any funny lines ...
 
P.S.  Don't go for any Quick Quads; I don't think they pay as well in tournaments.
 
Looks like a contradiction to me.

[BOOPSAHOY]

Eduardo I agree with New2vp-I would play for the royal since that sounds like what you need to be in the paying pack. HOOTCHIE HOOTCHIE MOMMA!